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⏳ To start working 🚪 To break open 💵 To contribute
to kick in

to kick in

38 4.1
Force a door or gate open by hitting it hard with your foot
  • phrasal verb
  • /kɪk ɪn/
translation icon : derribar a patadas
  • Then one night, Dad got angry and kicked the glass screen in.
  • kick in the door
  • kick in the locked door
  • kick in the front door

I saw some of that then where it's gut wrenching to kick doors in.

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Examples

  • Suddenly, the makeshift door is kicked in and a cop in full riot gear enters.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Open the door, or I'm gonna kick it in.

    Cult (2020)

  • So we had to kick the window in to get her out.

  • If you do not open, then I kick in the door.

    Cougar Hunting (2011)

  • Just kick the door in.

    Last Action Hero (1993)

  • When I was just dating, Sunny was so mad that he kicked in our front door and our bedroom door.

  • Nina heard a man yell, "Go to the next house!" as he kicked in the bedroom door.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • BAM! Four men kick in and proceed through the front door! SWAT team member FBI!

    Fiction book (2000)

  • I counted seven fence slats that had been kicked in, plus four ripped loose entirely.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • If you refuse to open the door, I will kick in the door to get inside.

Synonyms

to muscle
vsto kick in
  • Informal
39 6.6

To push into a place using physical strength or influence

is limited to physical opening by a vigorous foot action rather than influence
to kick down
vsto kick in
14 5.5

Force open a door or gate by hitting it with your foot

is the same action described as a vigorous inward foot strike
to break open
vsto kick in
13 2.1

To open something suddenly by force, for example a locked door or jar

focuses specifically on opening by a strong foot strike rather than any force
to break in
vsto kick in
1 3.5

To force open a door or window to get inside

emphasizes opening by a strong foot strike rather than collapsing inward structure
to bang down the door
vsto kick in
1 7.1

Force a door open by hitting it hard

uses a single vigorous foot strike rather than broad striking actions
to yank the door open
vsto kick in
  • Informal
1 4.6

Pull a door quickly and hard to open it

involves pushing inward with a strong foot action rather than a forceful pull
to stave in
vsto kick in
7.7

To break a hole in something and make part cave in

aims to open by a forceful foot action rather than by smashing parts

How Forceful

to kick in
38 4.1
to break open
13 2.1
to yank the door open
  • Informal
1 4.6
to push
∞ 1.0
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

kick in infinitive
kicked in past
kicked in past participle
kicking in present participle
kicks in third person singular

Morphology

kick + in

The contribution sense is somewhat derivable from 'kick' (to thrust) + 'in' (into), as if pushing money into a shared pot, so there is a transparent metaphorical link. However, this is a colloquial, extended use of the verb with multiple senses (e.g. take effect), and the money-specific meaning is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Kick in comes from the simple image of using a strong kick to push something in, like kicking a stuck door so it falls inward. So kick in can mean 'to force something open'.